This Week in DC TV 10/14

Welcome to This Week in DCTV, where the Twisted Cape examines, breaks down, and gives a quick review of all the original shows that DC has released this week. This will run weekly and start on Sunday and end on Saturday, so we catch everything on the CW, Fox, and the DC Universe streaming service. We will eventually be incorporating all of it, including the content from other networks, like Syfy. We’ll also include an average on the week to help determine whether the week was a success. Keep in mind there will be spoilers on a regular basis so read on at your own risk.

Weekly Score (Out of 5 - rounded) – 4/5

This was a short week that leads into a fuller slate next week, but an interesting one nonetheless. Only 3 shows, 2 of which make me curious about the full season continuity schedule, but a solid premiere week. Twist of the week goes to The Flash for the pull back to early seasons.

The CW

The Flash - 4/5

This week, Barry and friends deal with the revelation that his daughter has traveled back in time and the villain Gridlock. Nora West-Allen makes her presence felt all throughout the episode with some strong scenes with her dad especially. Gridlock’s presence is merely a villain of the week distraction, but the real tension here is with the Flash family as the journey for this season is set up. SPOILERS – we find out that Barry’s disappearance from season 1 impacts the life of his daughter since she doesn’t have her dad. Caitlin Snow finds out courtesy of Ralph Dibny that her dad’s death certificate was faked, and sadly the show is setting the stage for Wally’s exit. Finally, we get our first look at Cicada who may be our big bad on this show for the year. Good episode and it could pave way for a really good season.

Black Lightning - 4/5

Black Lightning finds Jefferson and crew dealing with the consequences (the episode is partially titled the Book of Consequences) of the first season. This episode was impactful, from killing off characters, imbuing others with a sense of purpose while also making sure not to ignore the show’s political/social slant. SPOILERS – the status quo was shaken up in this episode in a big way. Deputy Chief Henderson confronts Black Lightning confirming that he has deduced his identity. Syonide was killed early on in a parking garage battle with Jefferson’s assistant principal Kara, who is a spotter for the ASA. Kara is seemingly killed by Tobias Whale late in the episode. And Jennifer’s powers take an interesting turn which is scaring her and her loved ones. Good episode, but at times I wonder if the show leans a little too hard into political and societal issues.

DC Universe

Titans – 3.5/5

Well, the long-awaited premiere of the DC Universe flagship program is here and the result is… better than expected, but it has some work to do. Most of the screen time in this episode belongs to Robin and Raven, followed by Starfire and a tiny bit of Beast Boy. As Dick tries to make a life for himself in Detroit away from Batman, he comes across a girl on the run who is seeking protection and knows a bit about his past. Meanwhile a girl named Kory Anders finds herself waking up at the scene of a car accident and is immediately chased. SPOILERS – Raven sees her “mother” murdered directly in front of her setting her on the run. Robin takes down an abusive man who is amid a drug deal, prompting the now infamous line. This episode features much of the content from the trailers, which is an excellent thing to me, because we don’t have to wait. Additionally, this is brutally violent. Interestingly, the characters are either sadists, thieves, or murderers which may make them hard to root for later on.